WEBVTT
SLEEVES IN THE AFTERMATH OF
MATTHEW.
THEIR JOB, GET THE POWER BACK
ON, NORTH SHORE REPORTER HEATH
ALLEN JOINS US FROM MANDEVILLE.
HEATH: CREWS FROM CLECO HERE IN
ST. TAMMANY ARE NOW HEADED EAST.
THEY'VE GEARED UP TO GO TO THE
EAST COAST TO HELP GET THE
LIGHTS BACK ON AND THE POWER
BACK UP AFTER HURRICANE MATTHEW
>> ELECTRICITY ISN'T A LUXURY,
IT'S A NECESSITY, SO YOU'RE
TRYING TO GET THE INFRASTRUCTURE
BACK UP AS QUICK AS YOU CAN.
HEATH: A 44 MEMBER STORM TEAM
FROM CLECO GEARED UP AGAIN, MANY
JUST FINISHED WORKING IN THE
FLOOD STRICKEN AREAS OF SOUTH
LOUISIANA, NOW HEADED TO HELP
GEORGIA POWER DEAL WITH THE WHAT
WILL BE THE AFTERMATH OF
MATTHE
>> THIS IS WHAT WE DO.
WE LOVE TO GO OUT AND HELP OTHER
PEOPLE GET THE POWER BACK ON
>> JUST STAY FOCUSED AND THE
AWARE OF THE GENERATORS.
LOOK OUT FOR EACH OTHER.
HEATH: THE STORM TEAM GOT FINAL
INSTRUCTIONS, SAFETY BRIEFINGS
THURSDAY MORNING, THE CONTINGENT
SET TO CONVOY TO GEORGIA,
ANOTHER 59 CONTRACTORS RELEASED
TO HELP FOLKS IN FLORIDA.
THAT CONVOY OF TRUCKS FROM OUT
OF TOWN, CAN BE A BEAUTIFUL
SIGH
>> WHEN YOU SEE THE DEVASTATION
OF A STORM, WHETHER IT IS A
HURRICANE OR A TORNADO OR
WHATEVER, IT IS DEVASTATING AND
IT BRINGS A LEVEL OF COMFORT TO
THOSE PEOPLE WHEN THEY SEE ALL
THIS HELP COME IN TO HELP GET
THEIR POWER BACK ON.
>> WE'RE REALLY NERVOUS FOR THE
PEOPLE WHO LIVE OVER THERE.
THEY ARE GOING TO EXPERIENCING A
LOT OF DAMAGE, BUT WE'RE GOING
TO GO TRY AND HELP THEM OUT AS
BEST WE CAN.
HEATH: STANDARD OPERATING
PROCEDURE, CLECO IS A MEMBER OF
THE SOUTHEASTERN ELECTRIC
EXCHANGE, MUTUAL ASSISTANCE
AFTER MAJOR OUTAGE
WORKING IN THE AFTERMATH OF ANY
DISASTER THERE'S ALWAYS A LEVEL
, OF DANGER TO THE WORK, SAFETY
IS PARAMOUNT.
>> WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT
EVERYBODY COMES BACK HOME NOT
THE WAY THEY LEFT, BUT BETTER
THAN WHEN THEY LEFT.
HEATH: FOR NOW THE CLECO CREWS
THAT JUST PULLED OUT OF HERE IN
MANDEVILLE WILL LIKELY STAGE
AROUND MACON, GEORGIA, LET THE
STORM ROLL THROUGH, THEN THEY'LL
GO BACK IN AND GET THE POWER
BACK ON.
HOW LONG THEY'LL BE THERE,

As Hurricane Matthew targets the east coast, a storm team from Louisiana is headed in that direction to restore power when the storm has moved out.

"Electricity isn't a luxury, it's a necessity, so you're trying to get the infrastructure back up as quick as you can," said Cleco storm boss Floyd Pittman.

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A 44-member storm team from Cleco, many of whom just finished work in the flood-stricken areas of south Louisiana, geared up again to help in Georgia. Crews from Pineville, Eunice, New Iberia, Bunkie, Mansfield, Rosepine and Covington gathered Thursday at Cleco headquarters in Mandeville. The convoy of utility trucks headed out to help Georgia Power deal with the aftermath of Hurricane Matthew. Cleco also released 59 contractors to assist in Florida.

"This is what we do. We love to go out and help other people get the power back on," said Terry Turner of the Cleco safety separtment.

The storm team got its final instructions and a safety briefing Thursday morning before loading up and lining up the trucks for the trip to Georgia. The convoy of power company trucks arriving in the aftermath of a storm can be a welcome sight.

"It brings a level of comfort to those people when they see all this help come in to help get their power back on," Turner said.

"We're really nervous for the people who live over there. They are going to be experiencing a lot of damage, but we're going to go try and help them out as best we can," said team member Derrick Butscher.

Cleco is a member of the Southeastern Electric Exchange, providing mutual assistance in the wake of major outages.

"People need lights," Pittman said.

Working with high-voltage power lines in the aftermath of any disaster carries its share of danger, and safety is a priority for the storm team.

"We want to make sure that everybody comes back home not the way they left, but better than when they left," Turner said.

The Cleco storm team from Louisiana will likely stage in Macon, Georgia.